Fitts Makes His Case with Power and Poise

The Cardinal Chronicle
Fitts Makes His Case with Power and Poise
St. Louis, MO
By Ray Mileur

Spring training is often where roles begin to take shape, and right-hander Alex Fitts is quietly making his case for a spot in the St. Louis Cardinals’ pitching plans.

In Wednesday’s exhibition game against Team Nicaragua, Fitts delivered a strong outing out of the bullpen, striking out four over three scoreless innings. While the box score shows four singles allowed, the overall performance reflected the kind of controlled power the Cardinals have been hoping to see this spring.

Most encouraging was what didn’t happen.

Fitts did not issue a walk, continuing a trend of attacking hitters with confidence and command. Pairing those four strikeouts with his clean control, the right-hander now owns a 5:0 strikeout-to-walk ratio across five scoreless innings in Grapefruit League play.

The radar gun has been just as encouraging as the results.

Fitts averaged 96.6 mph with his four-seam fastball and 96.2 mph with his sinker, showing the kind of velocity that plays well at the major-league level. For a pitcher competing for a role on a club with postseason aspirations, maintaining mid-90s velocity while filling the strike zone is exactly the combination that gets attention in a major-league camp.

Physically, Fitts has always looked the part. The big right-hander generates natural downhill plane, and when he keeps the ball in the zone with conviction, hitters are forced to swing rather than wait him out.

That approach was evident again Wednesday. Even with four hits allowed, Fitts avoided damage by staying aggressive in the strike zone, trusting his stuff and forcing hitters to earn their way aboard.

The timing of the performance is also notable.

Fitts is currently competing for a spot in the Cardinals’ starting rotation, and the club is reportedly considering opening the season with a six-man rotation. If the organization moves in that direction, it could create an additional opportunity for pitchers on the bubble.

Spring training decisions rarely hinge on a single outing, but consistency matters. Two appearances into Grapefruit League play, Fitts has delivered exactly that—five scoreless innings, strong velocity, and clean command.

For pitchers trying to break through, the formula is simple: throw strikes, miss bats, and give the coaching staff reasons to keep watching.

So far this spring, Alex Fitts is doing all three.

And if he keeps stacking outings like Wednesday’s, the conversation about the Cardinals’ rotation may soon include his name a little more often.

Photo - Reinhold Matay-Imagn Images